Traffic-signal reflector



S. A. ESKILSON TRAFFIC SIGNAL REFLECTOR Filed June 1l 1927 [N VEA/'TOR ATTORNEY July 2, 1929.

Patented July 2, 1929.

UNITED STATESjPATENT OFFICE'. j

`SVEN AUGUST ESKILSON, 0F STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN GAS- ACCUIULATOR COMPANY, 0F ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW TRAFFIC-SIGNAL '.REFLECTOR.

Application led June 4,

thereon are refiected in directions substanI tially parallel with the impinging rays. The use of such reflecting means upon highways to denote dangerous points has become quite general.

- The general object and purpose of thisl invention is'to 'provide a reflector1 having means associated therewith by which more definite information ma be imparted than is practicable where re ection alone is depended upon for furnishing information as to traflic conditions. The said means may be employed also for im arting information other than'that pertainlng to traic conditions.

The *invention comprehends the construetion and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described in detail, particularly ointed out in the claim, and as illustrated 1n the drawing in which I have shown one form of a convenient embodiment thereof.

In the drawing: v A v Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a reector structure embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is asectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; f

Fig. 3 is a view in plan of a member of the structure provided with a letter formed 'by cutting out a portion thereof; and

Fig. 4 1s a view in front elevation of a plurality of reectors arranged side by side upon .a suitable suplport.

In the drawing I ave shown a holder 1 of rectan larl shape which is in the'form of a shalow pan constructed of sheet metal.

However,.it may be constructed of any other the cover 6 may be secured in place by bolts or screws 7 and by which also the said re'- flector holder together with the cover 6 may y also will be understood rovided with.

1927. Serial No. 196,439.

the plate 11 of one of the reflectors with a portlon cut out in the form ofthe capital letter L'while in a second device shown in Fig. 4 I have shown the plate 11 provided with the capital letter E, likewise formed by cutting out the requisite portions of the metal thereof.

I have provided a reflector 12 which islocated within the holder' 1 between the back cover 6 and the plate 11 which extends across the/o ening 2 in the bottom of the pan or hol er 1. In the construction as illustrated the reflector consists of glass the front face of which is plane while upon the rear thereof a plurality of contiguous trihedral projections 13 are formed. The surfaces of the respective projections are arranged at right angles to each other, as the three sides of the corner of a cube in conse uence of which, according to well known principles of light reflection, the impin Ving raysof vli htwhich pass through the ront ortion ofgthe reflector 12 and into the ro- ]ections 13 are reflected back in direc ions substantially parallel with the directions of the impinging rays. The reflector 12 is provided arund its side and end edges with rearwardly extending flanges 14 of a depth or height substantially equal to the distance betweenthe inner surfaces'of the plates 6 and 12. 1

. It will be understood that'the plate 11 is 95 o f dimensions such that it fits snugly within the holder land extends over the opening 2 in the bottom thereof as that a number of l these plates may be kept on hand, the different plates havingdiiferent letters of the alphabet formed therein by cutting out por-V tions thereof, so that by'locating a plurality of reflector devices in juxtapositlon vas-shown in Fig. 4 upon a suitable support, such a's the 105 support 8, the letters may be arranged to spell any selected word or words.

It will be understood thatfas the rays of shown in Fig. 2. Itwm light from any suitable source, as for-example the headlights of an automobile, imf

pinge upon the exposed portions of the rew'leotor 12 the light is reflected back to a point i of, the letter of each reflector will be made apparent to anyone who may be located at or in proximity to the source of light the rays of which are being reflected.

Plates such as the plate 11 having the letters of the alphabet therein may be constructed very cheaply whereby means is afforded for producing reflectors having letters associated therewith at an extremely small cost. By the removal of the screws or bolts 7 a reflector 12 may be removed from a holder and a plate 11 having the required letter formed therein placed in position, after which the reflector maybe placed and secured in'positon by securing the cover 6 in place by means of screws or bolts 7 or other means.

It will be apparent that my invention affords means whereby any combination of letters may be provided in proper relation with respect to each other for the spelling of any selected word or sentice and that such result may be accomplished at a minimum of expense and trouble.

Instead of letters the plates 11 may have openings therein of any other configuration or design, as may `be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent is:

A traffic signal reflector, comprising a holder of pan like formation having the greater portion of its bottom removed, a plate mounted in saidholder and seated against the outer edge portion of the bottom, said plate having an opening therein which may be in the form of a letter, a reflector mounted in said holder, which reflector consists of glass 'and the front face of which is plane while the rear side thereof is provided with a plurality of contiguously related trihedral projecti0ns,a cover for closing the rear side of the said holder, and means for supporting said holder and cover.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have hereunto signed my name this 18th .dayo May, A. D., 1927.

SVEN AUGUST ESKILSUN. 

